The Lion and the Lamb
by Kyra Renee
Summary: Commander Shepard has been gone for nearly two years following the destruction of the Normandy. Rumors have surfaced that the body has been recovered but no one seems to know who has it or why. Kaidan Alenko is determined to find the Commander for his own personal reasons but he needs help. Constance Pye is a mercenary with a long rap sheet and information that Kaidan needs.
1. Chapter 1

Every move she made caused the cameras to swivel in her direction, the red light flashing angrily at her in warning. She paced the cell, her boots clicking against the cold cement floor. Without her armor she felt naked, vulnerable and exposed. Not only had it served to keep her alive but it had become a security blanket for her, an outer shell she could hide behind. It made her feel bigger—more dangerous and far more important.

The doors opposite her opened with a hydraulic sigh and she spun towards the thick steel bars, watching the men approach her. They were all clad in the same uniform, their weapons raised and their expressions blank. There were four of them. Four men to escort one prisoner from her cell to…to where? She had been in that cell for hours, waiting and pacing.

An eyebrow shot skyward as the steel bars gave way and she stretched her hands towards them obediently with her wrists pressed together. There was no hesitation as the handcuffs circled around her wrists tightly and she bit back a hiss of pain as they bit into her skin. It was unnecessary, but she kept her mouth shut as they marched her down a long corridor. Another door slid open and they shoved her inside. "Ah," she looked at the stainless steel table and the chairs on either side. "And who will be my interrogator?"

Her question was answered immediately as the door opened once more and the man stepped inside, his uniform proudly displaying his rank. He was handsome but his expression was serious and cold.

"And you are…?" She circled the room once before pulling out a chair with the toe of her boot and sitting down, resting her hands on the cool surface of the table. She could see herself reflected in the two-way mirror. Several strands of auburn colored hair had come loose from her tightly woven knot, framing her pale face and giving her a disheveled look. Her cheekbone right below her left eye was turning an ugly shade of purple and she fought the urge to touch the sensitive skin.

"It doesn't matter who I am," his voice was rough, pulling her away from her reflection and causing her to smirk.

"Oh, I think it does. You went through a lot of trouble to catch me and I want to know who you are and why you want me so badly. I'm just a regular mercenary."

He stepped forward and placed his palms flat against the surface of the table, his dark eyes burning into her. "A little birdie told me that you have information that I need," he spoke evenly but even still, she could hear the desperation in his words.

"And what information would that be?"

"I'm not going to sugar coat this. You have information on an Alliance solider, Commander Jane Shepard. I want to know what you know," he pushed away from the table and straightened up and she let out a laugh.

"You think I know anything about the great Commander Shepard? You tracked me through the Terminus System, destroyed my ship and arrested me because you think I have information about Commander Shepard? Do you realize how insane you sound?" She watched his confidence flicker. "You want to know what I know? I know she died two years ago. Does that help you?"

His hand twitched and she sat back, watching him. His jaw tightened and he glanced sideways towards the mirror. No doubt there was a handful of Alliance Brass standing on the other side, whispering and shaking their heads.

"You're a wanted woman. Aria has upped the price on your head. You can't run forever. You help me and I help you," he was trying to bargain with her—strike a deal. It was almost comical and she pitied the poor fool for having to stoop so low as to haul her in. But he made a good point and she had made more enemies around Omega than she could count: Aria T'Loak among them. But the reach of the asari was not as lengthy as she liked both her friends and foes to believe.

"You're also wanted for the murder of an Elcor Diplomat," he added. Her eyes shot to his face as her lips pulled downward into a scowl.

"I was framed for that," she snapped in a low voice. "That asari bitch set me up. She knew it was a trap from the beginning."

"You want me to believe that, you need to tell me what you know and then maybe we can work out a deal," he folded his arms across his chest and she felt the corner of her eye twitch in irritation. He would make no deal, of that she was certain. There was no justice system on that rock and she would likely find herself cradled in Aria's bloody hands. She would become an example for those stupid enough to defy her—a brilliant mind gone rogue. No, she wouldn't let that happen. She couldn't let that happen.

She sat forward, deliberating as he looked towards the mirror again. "Alright, little lamb. I'll tell you what you want to know about your precious Shepard. But not until you help me scratch my back first. Whoever you keep looking at…well, they need to leave. I want these handcuffs off and I want full immunity granted so I can finish some business before I'm thrown in a cell in Purgatory for the rest of my life."

He hesitated: turning fully to face the mirror. After a moment he nodded his head once. There was another pause. "I don't care whether you think this is a waste of time or not. This is the closest we've come in almost two years. Do as she says," he barked the order and she watched the mirror, smirking as their audience left the room.

She waited a moment longer and cleared her throat, lifting her bound hands. He ground his teeth together and moved towards her to remove the cuffs. She sighed in relief and rubbed at her sore wrists, taking her time in pressing forward with her final conditions. She could almost see the anxiety bubbling up beneath his skin and she stood, scraping the legs of chair across the floor with deliberated slowness.

"I need to clean off my slate, so to speak. I admit that I haven't been the best-behaved merc in this galaxy, but there are a few black marks by my name that don't belong there. I want them gone. Wiped clean. But the problem is…Major, that you can't do that with the press of a button. I need to right some wrongs, get a little…pay back," she leaned against the table, folding her arms across her chest as she crossed one ankle over the other. She could see him considering her words—consequences included.

"You want me to help you get revenge?" He asked flatly.

"So to speak. You destroyed my ship. I need a ship and I need a crew. I want to borrow yours for a little while. No one has to know," she smirked wickedly and he frowned. "Pretend we're chasing your ghost around, I don't care. I just need a few favors and then the information that's in here," she tapped an index finger against her temple, "will be all yours. Until then, I will happily pretend I know nothing."

He growled and pressed his lips together. The reluctance to accept her terms was written all over his face, but she could smell the desperation rolling off of him in waves. For whatever reason, the whereabouts of Commander Shepard meant more to him that they did to anyone else. Quite frankly she didn't care what his connection to the woman was as long as she got what she wanted out of the deal.

He dragged a hand through his hair as he paced the room, weighing the pros and the cons and staring helplessly at the ceiling from time to time. She waited patiently and silently, pretending to examine her fingernails and pick dirt from beneath them.

"My ship remains under my command," he said finally, causing her to glance up. "All orders go through me first and I will distribute them accordingly. You'll be under constant surveillance and supervision, no exceptions."

"Fair enough," she agreed with a disinterested shrug of her shoulders.

"And you have to give me something up front. Something to work with so I know I'm not wasting my time on you," he added.

She ran her tongue across her teeth and pushed away from the table, uncrossing her arms and letting them swing at her sides. She moved closer and closer to him, smirking crookedly as he backed himself up against the wall and she extended her hand. He glanced down and reached forward tentatively to grasp her hand firmly.

"Jane Shepard is…alive, in some sense of the word. That's all I can give you for now but you have my word that it's true," she kept her voice low and he exhaled through his nose before giving her hand a single forceful shake and releasing it as though he had just been burned.

"Don't make me regret this," he warned her as she took a step back to give him space. "Sit tight. I'll go arrange your release. The sooner we get this over with the better."

"I look forward to working with you, Major," she offered him a salute and her smirk returned as he rolled his eyes before leaving the room. She returned to hop onto the table, her black boots dangling as she studied her reflection in the mirror once more, cocking her head to the side. Those gray eyes were haunting and she looked away as a shiver tore through her body.


	2. Chapter 2

The Alliance knew how to build a ship, she would give them that much. Helm itself was larger than her cruiser had been and she marveled at the intricate design. The excitement and awe had worn off soon enough as she was stuffed into the cargo hold. A crudely assembled cot was pushed up against the far wall, opposite a stack of crates containing emergency provisions. She almost preferred the cramped space of her cell to this, but she knew better than to complain.

"Here. I was instructed to have to put these on," the freckle-faced soldier held out his hands and she took the uniform and boots from him, frowning as she turned them each over for closer examination. "Major Alenko can explain."

Major Alenko. The name rang a bell and she backed into her tiny room to shed her civilian clothes to shimmy into the uniform. It felt foreign against her skin and she wished she had a mirror, but running her hands across her body would have to do for now. The uniform was snug, accentuating the few curves her body did have hidden beneath layers of muscle. She had pulled on the boots only to kick them back off and shove her feet into her worn ones. He was already making her squeeze into an Alliance uniform; he wasn't going to strip her entirely of comfort.

She felt ridiculous and she did her best to smooth her hair back into place, hoping that he had a damn good reason for humiliating her.

She stepped out of the room and followed Freckle Face to the elevator. He was young. It was written all over his boyish face and his posture was too rigid. His movements were almost robotic rather than fluid and she shook her head. Did the Alliance take them straight from the cradle these days? But she didn't have time to wonder as the elevator doors slid open and she was greeted with shouts echoing down from the helm.

Freckle Face tensed as he moved forward; the exaggerated swing in his arms was beyond comical. "Major Alenko," he greeted the dark haired man with a stiff salute but he didn't respond and Freckle Face dropped his arm, glancing around nervously. The Major leaned over a console, his hands gripping the edges so tightly that his knuckles had turned a ghostly shade of white. "I brought…uh, her," he stammered.

"Dismissed," the word came from between gritted teeth and Freckle Face gave another quick salute before ducking away like a frightened mouse.

"You could have thanked the kid," she said with a snort and a roll of her eyes. When he made no further effort to speak, she shrugged and walked around him to the cockpit. The pilot sat in silence, his tired eyes sweeping back and forth. "Interesting interface you have there," her voice startled the man and he looked over his shoulder in alarm.

"O-oh, yeah. She was modeled after the _SSV Normandy._ But no ship has ever come close in design since the original. The _Normandy_ was the first of its kind, a prototype. The Alliance put a lot of credits and work into that ship," his voice took on a dreamy tone and she nodded along. Oh yes, she knew all about that _Normandy_ and quite a bit about her crew. Which included…

"I see you put the uniform on," the man behind her spoke finally and she looked over her shoulder. He still gripped the edges of the console but the muscles in his shoulders had relaxed.

"I figure you had good reason for making me look like a clown," she responded easily.

He looked up finally and she took note of the sheen of sweat on his brow and the look of defeat in his dark eyes. "Of course I do. You're on my ship and you're going to look like one of my crew. As you can imagine, no one's very happy about your release."

"I heard. So, you're going to stuff me in a uniform and make me march around like I take orders from you? I don't think so, Major Alenko. I don't take orders from anyone except myself."

"I find that funny considering you're using my ship to do your dirty work. We need something from each other and I'm putting everything I have on the line here. You have to give a little too," his voice rose in volume and she could see the corner of his mouth twitching in frustration.

"You need me to help you find Shepard. Why?" Her question caused his eyes to widen for half a second before narrowing dangerously.

"The Alliance wants—"

"Bullshit. _You_ want to find her. Why?" She tried again and her eyes moved down to the vein in his neck before flicking back up to his face.

"I think I know why," she continued. "I put two and two together easily enough, Major. Or can I call you Kaidan? You served under Commander Shepard on the _Normandy_. You helped take down Saren and Sovereign. Everyone knows the story. This has nothing to do with the Alliance, does it?"

Silence. He was seething beneath the surface and she nodded. "I thought so."

"Constance Pye," he said coolly. "Former member of the Blue Suns, Eclipse and the Blood Pack. How you managed to weasel your way into the Blood Pack is impressive. Born on Earth to Thomas and Morgan Pye, you were kicked out of military school after eight months for insubordination. You fled to Omega where you joined a mercenary group and rose in the ranks until you pissed them off too. Should I continue?

I could talk about how you killed that Elcor Diplomat, or maybe about how you decided to steal classified information from the Alliance? Does impersonating a C-Sec officer sound familiar?"

"You read my file, Major. I'm flattered," her eyes were narrowed in feigned amusement. "But let me tell you something, _Major._ Don't for a second pretend like you know me. You know nothing about me."

"And you know nothing about me, so stand down," his tone was sharp and they stood facing one another. The tension was palpable and finally she gave a small snort, shattering the heavy silence.

"Be so kind and set us a course for Tuchanka. Someone there owes me a favor."

"Tuchanka? Are you joking?" But she was already walking away and Kaidan gaped after her. Tuchanka? Who could possibly owe her a favor on Tuchanka?

He rubbed at his forehead and frowned as the beginning signs of a brutal headache began to show. He glanced up to see the pilot twisted in his seat and staring at him in bewilderment. Kaidan exhaled through his nose. "Set a course for Tuchanka. And stop looking at me like that."


	3. Chapter 3

She sat with her head down and her hands between her knees as the shuttle shuddered through the turbulence during its descent to the planet surface. Tuchanka stretched like a ruined wasteland beneath them and she tried to ignore the set of curious eyes burning holes through her fiery orange armor. Kaidan had been silent since they had exchanged words on the bridge but he was close to bursting with questions.

Constance lifted her head to meet his gaze with her own and after several seconds of uncomfortable silence, she stood and reached out to steady herself against the seat she had just vacated. "You can set us down here," she instructed the pilot. He responded with a single nod and the shuttle banked sharply to the right before he lowered them towards the ground.

"Ready, Major?" But she didn't wait for an answer as the door opened and she hopped out, her boots causing a small cloud of dust to rise around her in protest. The air was strange and thick and she took a deep breath before pressing forward as Kaidan landed deftly behind her.

"Stop right there!" A voice boomed from just ahead of them. She heard the shuttle departing just behind them and she lifted her head as two krogan marched towards them, weapons raised. "You had no clearance to land there. We should've shot you from the sky."

"I have business with your leader," she said, holding up her hand to show she meant no trouble. They exchanged skeptical glances and grunted something incoherent.

"We weren't informed that he was expecting _humans_ ," they sneered the word and Constance shrugged.

"He was expecting one human: me. But I've brought a friend. I'm sure he won't mind," her tone was sharper than before and the krogans stiffened. After a moment they stepped to the side, deciding against an altercation for now.

"Go then. But our guns will be following you. Try anything and we shoot you on the spot," they warned.

Constance almost smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it," there was a hint of sarcasm in her words and she heard Kaidan scoff behind her.

"What? Not fond of the krogan?"

"I fought with a krogan once. I can't really say I had the time of my life," Kaidan grumbled from behind her. "I've been trying to figure out what sort of favor the krogan would owe _you_."

"You don't think I'm worthy of a favor?" Constance asked, trying her best to sound offended and incredulous.

"Not from the krogan," he answered flatly. She laughed. It was true. The korgan were not ones to trust other species, especially humans. They were selfish and hot-headed, driven by power and bloodlust. But Constance had wormed her way into their good graces, if only by use of force and quick thinking. She had hoped that it would never have come to this and despite her cool exterior, there was a small bubble of panic welling up inside of her.

There was a very good chance that he would deny her and send her packing after laughing in her face. She had yet to meet a krogan that kept his word unless it was convenient for him. She hoped that this one would be different.

They made their way into the compound and Constance glanced around warily. They were all heavily armed and their gazes crept under her skin, causing her to shudder beneath the protection of both her armor and her shields.

For the krogan she supposed their seat of power was something magnificent to behold, but to her it resembled more of a hastily assembled heap of dirt and rubbish. "I may have forgotten to mention one little thing…" she glanced over her shoulder at Kaidan as they rounded the top of the small pile. His eyes narrowed immediately and his hand twitched towards his pistol, but it fell short as his gaze moved past her to the krogan seated in the high-backed chair.

"Well look what the pyjak dragged in," the krogan boomed, his rough voice echoing throughout the compound.

"Wrex?" Kaidan blinked in bewilderment and Constance smirked.

"Never thought I would see you again. I heard about Shepard," he sounded as sincere as he could and he leaned forward.

"Yeah, well…thanks," Kaidan cleared his throat uncomfortably and rubbed at the back of his neck; a nervous habit he had developed over the years. "I didn't realize you were…"

"Leader of Clan Urdnot," Wrex announced proudly, causing a krogan to his left to sneer. "About damn time too," he propped an elbow up on the arm of his seat. "So, what brings you to Tuchanka?"

"That would be me," Constance spoke up finally and stepped forward. "You owe me a favor, Wrex. I've come to cash in on that."

There was a moment of silence as the krogan considered her, his black eyes sizing her up. "I don't remember that particular favor, Pye," he looked away as he brushed an invisible spec of dirt from the arm of his chair.

"Bullshit!" She snapped. His guards moved forward but Wrex waved them down. The woman was no threat to him. "You wouldn't be sitting there if it wasn't for me so I think you owe me. You told me you did when I—"

"If it wasn't for you?" His voice boomed and Kaidan stepped back, but Constance stood her ground. "You had nothing to do with it, Pye. I should have just killed you when I had the chance," he grumbled.

"Some leader you are," she scoffed. "You can't even keep your word to a pathetic human. How long until your clan starts to turn against you when they realize you're all talk? Hm, Wrex?" She crossed her arms over her chest and the krogan glared at her.

"My clan knows that I'm good on my word. They would never—"

"How long, Wrex?" She repeated, drawing out each word slowly. The corner of his mouth twitched and she knew she had struck a nerve. There was a moment of harsh silence before he sat back.

"What do you want?" His voice was low and reluctant.

"You have coordinates that I need. Coordinates for a Blood Pack base that holds some very important information. I want them," It was simple enough.

"And when the Blood Pack finds out that I've handed over coordinates? What do you expect me to do?"

"You're a krogan, Wrex. I'm sure you can figure it out," she smirked and he gave a low chuckle.

"You have a good point. Alright. Fine. But this is it, Pye. Set foot on Tuchanka again and we'll blow them both off. Got it?"

"Noted. It's always a pleasure doing business with you, Wrex," she gave him a half-hearted salute as he grunted.

"How do you get mixed up with this one, Alenko?" Wrex asked, gesturing towards Constance.

The man looked reluctant as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "A favor for a favor," he said simply. Wrex nodded again, he understood that all too well.

"Let me give you some advice from one friend to another; never trust a hired gun. They don't know the meaning of loyalty," his eyes swept over Constance again and she stood silent and still, refusing to respond. She could feel Kaidan watching her now and she fought the urge to squirm beneath his gaze.

"I appreciate that, Wrex. Thanks. Hey, it was good to see you again," he tried to smile and Wrex nodded curtly, dismissing them. It was over sooner than she had expected and she was more than grateful. The krogan made her anxious and she was eager to take her information and go.

Constance remained silent for a long moment as they trudged back towards the rendezvous point. "Well, that wasn't so bad."

Kaidan gave an audible snort. "You could have told me you were dealing with Wrex."

"Slipped my mind," she added with a tin smile.

"Of course it did," she could almost hear him roll his eyes and she chuckled. "You have your coordinates. Now what? We storm this base of theirs and take what you need? Is that all?"

"I wish it were that simple. Hey, think we could make a stop to the Citadel."

"Another favor?" He sounded skeptical and she glanced up.

"Yes. But not for me this time. For you."


	4. Chapter 4

On any other day and under any other circumstance, the Citadel would have been a welcomed sight for sore eyes. She had never ventured further than the docking bays in all of her years and she took a moment to drink in the view from the Presidium. News vids and advertisements added to the steady thrum of background noise and she took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp air. This was much different than the slums of Omega and the other dirty corners of space. Everything here was so bright that it burned her retinas, searing itself into her mind's eye forever.

Kaidan sat across from her, swirling the cotton candy colored liquid around in his cup and she tilted her head back as a taxi cab flew overhead. His forehead was creased in thought and the corner of his mouth twitched every now and then, leading her to believe that whatever was going on in that head of his, it was fairly intense.

"… _Alliance reports that another human colony has vanished without a trace_ … _There is still much speculation as to what, or who, could be causing these strange disappearances_ …"

Constance folded her hands on the table and shifted in her seat, clearing her throat to get his attention. He glanced up from beneath his eyelashes, his hand stilling as he settled the bottom of his cup against the tabletop.

"Since the _Normandy_ went down, how much contact have you kept with your former crewmates?" She began slowly. His head lifted a fraction more, his curiosity piqued. "What do you know about your asari friend, Dr. T'Soni?"

Kaidan hesitated before shaking his head. _Nothing_. Constance nodded and glanced down at her own entwined fingers.

"I never met her. But I know that she has a tendency of sticking her pretty blue nose in places where it doesn't belong. She's done a good job of stepping on lots of toes—important toes, but for good reason. For those that know where to look and what to listen for, rumor has it that she was working with a drell. Why? No one could guess," Constance flicked her gaze back up to him. He was leaning across the table towards her, his eyes wide in confusion and curiosity. For a moment she was distracted, pulled from her story and into his gaze.

She blinked, forcing herself to focus again and she looked back down at her hands. "There are moles everywhere you go. _Everywhere_. You hear things; whispers, mostly. But after a while they start to make sense. Your friend was looking to recover Commander Shepard's body, but I guarantee she wasn't the only one. Whether she was successful or someone else was, I couldn't tell you that much. I just know that someone found her and they have her. I would suggest that you track down T'Soni and ask her yourself, but it doesn't sound like you two kept in touch very well."

He paused, staring at her for a moment longer before sitting back in his seat, looking defeated. She could see the disappointment and the irritation turning his smooth face into something almost unrecognizable and she exhaled.

"Kaidan," she rolled her eyes at herself, feeding him more information than she had ever intended him to digest in one sitting. His eyes narrowed at the sound of his name and he opened his mouth to respond, but she interjected, cutting him off. "Someone plans to bring her back," Constance said flatly.

He stopped, closing his mouth quickly and blinking at her. "Wait, you're serious? Can they even do that?"

Constance shrugged. "I don't know. Do I look like a scientist to you? I just know what I've heard."

"And what are your sources? Wild rumors from vorcha?" He scoffed and she frowned. They might as well have been vorcha, but she trusted their information more than she trusted most people. He must have trusted them too, to an extent, or he never would have risked so much for it. Or maybe he was just so desperate for answers that he had abandoned all common sense.

"Do I need to remind you that you went out of your jurisdiction to arrest me and demand that I tell you what I know? How did you even know where to find me? How did you even know that I had information to offer you? You must have trusted your sources, no?" Her voice was sharp and his shoulders went rigid in defense.

"Someone has been moving large sums of money from a private account. My hacking skills are only so good, mind you. But something is going on. I'm talking massive amounts of credits at a time. But there's no name attached to the accounts whatsoever. It's like a ghost. That's all I can tell you and even if I could tell you more, I wouldn't," she huffed.

He sat back again, eyeing her skeptically from across the table as she folded her arms across her chest. She looked away from him and he studied her. How was she a mercenary? Not only a mercenary, but a damn good one? Without the bulky armor there was hardly anything to her and he couldn't imagine her in hand to hand combat.

"What?" She snapped, bringing his thoughts back and he shook his head.

"Nothing," he paused. "I was just wondering how you managed to survive this long. You don't look like a merc," he was changing the subject and she took the bait.

Constance quirked an eyebrow. "Oh? I hadn't realized mercs were expected to look a certain way."

"I just mean…"

"You mean I don't look intimidating," the corner of her mouth pulled into a smirk as she crossed one leg over the other. "Or tough," Constance added, finishing his sentence for him.

He considered her response for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Yeah, I guess that's what I meant."

Constance ran her tongue across her teeth and considered that for a moment, uncrossing her legs and standing up. "Come on, then. Let's test that."

"You want to spar?" He asked, his words laced with surprise. The young woman shrugged.

"We're on shore leave, aren't we? We still have time to kill and if you win…I'll slip some more information your way. If I win…"

"You won't win," his confidence caused her to smirk as he abandoned his drink and stood, smoothing down the front of his uniform with a sigh. "I doubt you could hurt a fly."

Her eyes flashed dangerously and she flashed him a wicked smile. "Your confidence is cute. I'm almost going to feel back kicking your ass. Almost."


End file.
